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Chris
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007
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Location: Hampshire
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 Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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| mc_mc wrote: | | Chris wrote: | Works great. Well done!
My luton burner has a metal prop at the end of the burner tube to keep it level, maybe you need something similar to stop it sloping down hill. |
That's probably a good idea. It would of helped if I had soldered it in level too.  It's probably a bit end heavy anyway so the rest would be a good idea. I think the tube is a bit long as the end slits don't burn half as well as the ones closer to the meths tank. I think I've seen pictures of this type of burner with two tubes with the slits at either end. I'd need a square tank to have a go at making one of those.
But I'm quite pleased with myself so far.  |
So you should be!
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Mamodman123
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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| mc_mc wrote: | | Mamodman123 wrote: | Could be a partially blocked pipe.
I've seen it before with SP5's, it's usually the handle. Just keep a note of how that goes on because it can be tricky to put back together once you have forgotten |
Good advice.
Spinning the flywheel by hand gives a nasty metal on metal scratching noise so that's got to be part of the problem. But going forwards it just flies along. |
Sounds like a problem with the handle, or the handle is bent a bit. Keep tinkering and it'll go 
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Chris
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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Here is a pic of my luton burner. It would be better with the slits like yours has as the wick just chars straight away on this one, but the photo shows the prop at the end.
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mc_mc
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Chris wrote: | Here is a pic of my luton burner. It would be better with the slits like yours has as the wick just chars straight away on this one, but the photo shows the prop at the end.
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Yes that's the sort of thing. Maybe I could do two tubes but one above the other, that would work with my round tins. Hmmm...
It will be interesting to see how long the enclosed wick lasts. I actually put it in before soldering the tube into the meths tank and it seemed to survive the blow torch okay. So hopefully it will last a while. |
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Steve_S
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Nice picture Chris... that could be very useful information for Luton restorations. |
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Mamodman123
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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A wick burner is a better design because as the meths level drops it doesn't effect the flame
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mc_mc
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Mamodman123 wrote: | | A wick burner is a better design because as the meths level drops it doesn't effect the flame |
Ideally you don't want it to be a wick burner you want to burn the meths instead. |
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Chris
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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The wick on my luton burner just doesn't wick quick enough, and the end chars well before it runs out of meths. The wick nearer the meths tank doesn't char as much as it doesn't have to wick as far.
Some other peoples luton burners have slots like mc_mc's burner. Much better idea, and will work live a vap burner. Would think the wicks would then last pretty much indefinitely.
The end cap on the tubs pulls off, so it is fairly easy to replace the wicks. It came with some spares, but will have to source some when I burn my way through those.
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mj
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| Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Chris wrote: | The wick on my luton burner just doesn't wick quick enough, and the end chars well before it runs out of meths. The wick nearer the meths tank doesn't char as much as it doesn't have to wick as far.
Some other peoples luton burners have slots like mc_mc's burner. Much better idea, and will work live a vap burner. Would think the wicks would then last pretty much indefinitely.
The end cap on the tubs pulls off, so it is fairly easy to replace the wicks. It came with some spares, but will have to source some when I burn my way through those. |
Maybe your wick is not long enogh to reach around the bottom of the tank to soak up all the meths effictively? Like the early bowman burners it's difficult to tell if the wick loops around the meths pot properly.
The flame should burn just above the wick once it's hot enough, not a bad idea to put it out once the meths get too low to avoid charring |
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Chris
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:14 am Post subject: |
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| mj wrote: | | Chris wrote: | The wick on my luton burner just doesn't wick quick enough, and the end chars well before it runs out of meths. The wick nearer the meths tank doesn't char as much as it doesn't have to wick as far.
Some other peoples luton burners have slots like mc_mc's burner. Much better idea, and will work live a vap burner. Would think the wicks would then last pretty much indefinitely.
The end cap on the tubs pulls off, so it is fairly easy to replace the wicks. It came with some spares, but will have to source some when I burn my way through those. |
Maybe your wick is not long enogh to reach around the bottom of the tank to soak up all the meths effictively? Like the early bowman burners it's difficult to tell if the wick loops around the meths pot properly.
The flame should burn just above the wick once it's hot enough, not a bad idea to put it out once the meths get too low to avoid charring |
Yes the wicks are in properly, and do soak up the meths, just not quick enough to keep up with the flame. Think that is why some have the small slits in. I assume those are later ones once they realised these ones char.
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Wallace
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:28 am Post subject: |
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I don't know if this will help, but I had a similar problem, and it was due to the wicks being packed into tubes too tight.
I guess also, if the wick was made of a thick weaved material, and not "loose" the same problem could occur?
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Chris
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:36 am Post subject: |
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I'm hijacking the thread, sorry.
The wicks it came with are tightly weaved. When I buy some replacements I will see what else I can get.
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mc_mc
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| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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Just thought I'd give a little update on my burner:
I've now been using it two or three times a day to fire my SP5 which I'm trying to get 'run in', so it's probably had 14ish firings.
It's performed pretty much perfectly so far, I did over fill it and then you get meths leaking out from the slots in the tube (the engine runs well though!). I have managed to burn off all the paint from the bottom of the base in the firebox (but a lot of it was loose and flaky anyway). But I've had no explosions, major spills or fireballs and still own a full set of eyebrows.
I think the burner tube was made too long, the last couple of slots hardly do anything, the flame at the first slot (closest to the meths tank) is the strongest flame and the rest get progressively weaker. So I might make another one a bit shorter with the first slot further down the tube away from the meths tank.
My SP5 now runs much better than before, the reverse speed is only about two thirds slower than the forward speed now. It just needed a lot of oil and run time to get things back in order. I've been trying out different positions of the fly wheel along the drive shaft because it wasn't very balanced before and I think I've now found the optimal place for it.
When running you can flip the lever straight into reverse whilst it's running at full pelt forwards and the engine just slows and reverses with out stopping (most of the time) it's very impressive to see. You can do the same going from reverse to forwards but I'd say that only works half the time, the other half the flywheel just stops and you have to give it a little flick.
If any one sees a SP5 going cheap I would recommend them to grab it, it's probably amongst my top 3 favourite engines now. |
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IndianaRog
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| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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Michael,
Great job on that burner...if you have 14 firings under your belt, I consider that a tried and true burner!!! Glad the eyebrows are still intact
cheers,
Rog
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Mamodman123
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| Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds much much better now MC! Glad the burner worked aswell! A Mk3 coming up I presume
Anyone who owns an SP5 has done the old flick it from reverse to forward and see if it stops, they rarely do
SP5's are a massively underrated engine and well worth buying if you see one full stop . the thing about the SP5 is its HUGE flywheel and when in the right place gives the engine a smooth run .
The best engine of the Sp range I'm sure
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